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Drabbles Needed! Authors, have a go.
Michael wrote: "Nice one Jan - very dark :-)"Thanks :)
In Honour of Ernie.The rain thrummed against my window pane on that bleak and stormy Tuesday. A sullen wistfulness taking my imagination, as I stared into the mournful pits of the overcast cemetery.
Inspired by Hemingway, I set my paper to the desk-top, and thumbed the cold, brass nib of my fountain pen. I would, without doubt, scrawl my masterpiece this afternoon.
Willing my fury, my bile, my wicked love into my fingertips, I set about my work. With a deep in-sucking of breath, decided upon my opening line and, to my horror, my deepest despair, realised that I had run out of ink.
The official drabble contest for the Festival of Drabbles 2015 has started - the full details can be found here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
One from me -Here Be Dragons
"Mummy, I'm scared. There's a dragon!"
"Don't be silly, sweetheart. There's no such thing."
"But I can see it. It's breathing smoke, look!"
"I can't look when I'm driving, sweet."
"It's puffing out lots of smoke. It might be waking up."
"Oh, that'll be the cooling towers. We always pass them on the way to Granddad's. We'll be there soon. We could play a game?"
"I spy with my little eye something beginning with... D"
"There are no dragons. I've told you."
As they drove into the golden evening, scaly wings stretched and a huge red eye watched them pass.
Caught this on Book Hippo earlier - excellent :-)
I've started collating a list of books containing, or about drabbles for one of my planned features during the Festival of Drabbles 2015. You can see the list so far here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
I'm sure there are many other drabble books out there, so if you know of any that aren't listed then post the details in the comments below.
As seen on the Hippo today.An Innocent Mistake
Being a conscientious parent takes time, effort and a LOT of patience. Imagine my confusion when I found my nine year old wandering around the house, chanting:
‘Heart. Lungs. Liver. Spleen. Colon. Heart. Lungs. Liver. Spleen. Colon ...’
Eventually I plucked up the courage to ask. God, I wish I hadn’t.
‘Sophie, what are you up to?’
‘It’s the school fundraiser, dad. Mrs Jenkins needs people to take part.’
‘That’s great. But, er ... why are you stomping around the house chanting body parts?’
‘Oh,’ she said, in that innocent way. ‘Nobody wanted to do the organ recital, so I volunteered!’
Published today at www.bookhippo.uk Can't wait to tell you how much I'm looking forward to this year's #drabblefest
One In, One Out
It starts with a scream and a slap, life. It's a messy affair, but it's the same for everyone.
And there are rules.
There's one born every minute, so I'm told. But nobody mentions the outs in the same breath as the ins. We forget about the outs - put them in a sub genre all of their own.
Life - it's like a macabre nightclub, and its 'strict dress code'. There's a doorman somewhere keeping score. I can imagine him clicking his counter with joyful abandon.
For every one in, there's always one out ... And there are never, ever any trainers.
Thanks, both. I'm trying to be good and post them there first. :-D
I've started putting together a list of places to discover drabbles. If you are aware of other sites then post in the comments and I'll take a look.http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Here's my BookHippo one from today -The Painting
Bob was painting a group of friends from a photo he'd taken in the garden. He loved this house but his wife Julie said it was haunted.
"By what?" he asked.
"Not what, whom. A little boy. I've seen him a couple of times."
Bob smiled. He didn't want an argument, so he dropped the subject.
He was painting in the figures when Julie brought him coffee. He accidentally smudged the paint and the effect looked like a child standing with the group. As the paint ran, the figure seemed to turn and smile. The mug smashed and Julie screamed.
I really like that one, Kath. It has a classic horror feel to it akin to the Woman in Black. Hmmm, Halloween is just around the corner ... :-)
Even Tallis is leaping aboard the bandwagonGetting ready for the festival of drabbles
..............................................
Noting a shortage of drabbles I suggested to my good friend Tallis Steelyard that he might wish to step in. You know the saying, “All good men to the aid of the party.”
He demurred, obviously; claimed modesty. In the face of our laughter he claimed press of work. The laughter continued. We said, “You might get sales.”
And thus, reluctantly, sadly, he wrote;-
One hundred words
For a poet
How rude.
Indeed crude
To expect
My muse
To be restricted
Or interdicted
By limits
Arbitrary
Tis random
And fandon
Will not stand
For such.
Twill make the prestigious
Litigious
I've posted the calendar of events for the Festival of Drabbles 2015:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
If you want to host an event then post the details below and I'll add it to the the schedule.
Great Drabble, Jim!
I was thinking of posting a blog with a couple of examples of what a drabble is and explaining the concept. But if you know anybody with drabbles sitting looking for a home, I could do cover that as well
What day of the week do you want - Monday?
Hi Michael,I'd like to submit during the festival, but I'm not comfortable with competing (basically because I haven't been writing long enough). Is there any way I can submit work without it going through a judging panel?
Gaff
G J (Gaff to my friends) wrote: "Hi Michael,I'd like to submit during the festival, but I'm not comfortable with competing (basically because I haven't been writing long enough). Is there any way I can submit work without it goi..."
You can post drabbles during the event - if you want to host an event I can add you to the schedule?
I'd love to host an event, but you've got all your bases covered. I'm really looking forward to being an attendee this time round. I'm still learning the craft (and am really enjoying it). If there's anything not being hoasted, I have free web space at your disposal if you need it and would be more than willing, but I'm at a loss as to what else I could bring to the party at present. What I can offer though, is somewhere to host winning entries if you'd like?
Most people are posting their first, favourite and new drabbles and while you might be new to the form your drabbles are more than strong enough to take part.
That's good of you to say so, Michael and I've broken with my rule about competing, so here goes! You're more than welcome to advertise on my author site at FB and I'll be plugging on Twitter too.If you like, I'm still happy to post winners under the event's banner and I'll be retweeting any posts as they come up. If there's anything else I can web host or you're short of something, let me know, I'm at your disposal!
Any posts raising awareness for the Festival are welcome!
The Festival of Drabbles kicks off its celebration of stories told in exactly 100 words in just over a week's time. If you're not signed up for the event yet then you can do so here:https://www.facebook.com/events/37560...
The countdown means that you only have this week to enter your drabble into the festival's drabble competition. There are two prizes on offer: £30 Amazon or PayPal prize and four voters will also be randomly selected to win £10 Amazon gift cards for participating. One winner will be picked by me and the other by public vote.
There's no fee to enter the competition and you can submit your drabble here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Remember that your drabble must be exactly 100 words!
A reminder that today is the last day to enter the Festival of Drabbles 2015 Drabble contest. Write a story of exactly 100 words - not including the title - and enter it here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Memo to self, having a 127 word title is considered bad form
Jim wrote: "happen a bit gobby?"Sounds like a talkative house-elf. Dobby's brother Gobby!
From the Hippo yesterday. Basically an elaboration of my daughter's Facebook post. Children are such a blessing.Nursing a grudge
Ghastly day. Ward understaffed, no vacant beds, zombified junior doctors wafting past prescribing ever more drugs for patients they barely speak to, nurses getting blamed for everything that goes wrong – all par for the course. But spending an hour with a patient trying to explain to him that it wasn’t the NHS’s job to patch up his relationship with his ex-girlfriend? That was a new one.
Feeling sleepy now. Think I'll just have a little lie down on the sofa...
“Do you want to get run over by my truck, mummy?”
Not really, Alex darling. But thanks for the thought.
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Books mentioned in this topic
Lost Innocence: The Accused (other topics)Azazel (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Andrew K. Lawston (other topics)Andrew K. Lawston (other topics)
“You’re going to be the death of me!”
He heard it for the first time when his boyish exuberance resulted in a visit from the police. It was repeated when he was expelled from school; when he was sent to a remand centre; when a pregnant girlfriend turned up, and when drugs were found in his room.
He heard it for the final time as a ghostly whisper in his head after his mother refused to give him money and he stood over her crumpled body with a bloodied knife in his hand.
Finally, he’d lived up to her expectations.